Salvation
by Tuliharja
Summary: Akito and Shigure are having an argument which is about to end badly on Akito's side, but luckily Saki appears just in time to rescue Akito. But can Saki make Akito take her first step toward her own salvation? Takes place after few years where the manga ended. One-shot. R&R!


Title: _Salvation_

Author: _Tuliharja_

Summary: _Akito and Shigure are having an argument which is about to end badly on Akito's side, but luckily Saki appears just in time to rescue Akito. But can Saki make Akito take her first step toward her own salvation? Takes place after few years where the manga ended. One-shot._

Disclaimer: _Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya, I'm merely writing fan fiction about it._

Author's note: _It always struck me Shigure never apologized from Akito in the end._

 _Thank you BizzyLizy for betaing this._

* * *

 **.:Salvation:.**

Akito trembled in front of Shigure, who looked back at her with a calm expression upon his features. He took a step toward her, which only made Akito back away. The small woman shook her head as she tried holding her tears back. She didn't want to cry. Not front of him.

"Akito, please, be rational." Shigure said now, but his voice was lacking emotions. Not a single of his words had been reassuring or filled with affection like how you would toward someone who you love like a man does woman. No, he had said his words like a parent would say his words to a child who they didn't even love.

Shaking her head, lower lip trembling Akito muttered. "No…"

"Akito, you can't go," Shigure scolded now, taking Akito's hand into his as Akito looked at him, her face red. "Please, stop this already. I thought we already got over this."

"No, Shigure…" Akito begged, her voice miserable and small as she looked down the floor.

"Akito," Shigure snapped sharply, his hold tightening, which made Akito look into his eyes. Her gaze was fearful, like a small child, frightened and ready to flee away if the opportunity was given. Quickly, she yanked her hand away from Shigure's hold and then took a few steps away from the black-haired man again. The man just looked at her coldly, before letting out a small sigh.

"Seriously, what I'm going to do now? Stop acting like that Akito. I'm not-." he was suddenly cut off by the young woman.

"No Shigure. You crossed the line first," she whispered hushed tone, her gaze darting around the room.

"That isn't true! You were the one who crossed it at first. Remember? You and Kureno…?" Shigure shot back poisonously when Akito lifted her gaze back to Shigure. Her eyes had grown big from the shock.

"No! That isn't true! I was just a mere child and I-." she stammered when she abruptly was violently pushed against a wall. Shrigure shot her glare that was mixture of both anger and sadness.

"A child? Akito, we both know what you two were doing." he growled lowly as Akito turned her gaze away, ashamed. Her forelock hid her eyes as she looked down to the floor once again.

"How many…" the black-haired woman murmured, which made Shigure frown briefly. "How many times to I have to apologize? How many?!"

"Oh Akito…" Shigure uttered, almost softly as he leaned to kiss Akito, but was stopped when she pushed him away. Quickly, she escaped away from the range where his hands could reach as she turned to look him furiously.

"But at least I apologized!" Were the words which came out of Akito's mouth as she gazed Shigure whose lips turned downward. Eyes flashing briefly, he took a step toward Akito, who once again backed away from him.

"Fine. We both cheated, but doesn't that mean we're equal then?" Shigure asked back as Akito shook her head as sadness finally appeared into her grey eyes.

"Anyone other would have been fine…even Isuzu, but out of all people, you chose that woman…. Isn't that already pathetic, Shigure?" she asked weakly as Shigure let out a dry smile.

"At least my motive wasn't to tie someone down, and I didn't do it more than once!" Shigure shouted back, his voice growing stronger and angrier the further he got with his words as flinching Akito looked away. She felt terrible and miserable, but what had been done was done. She couldn't change the past, even though she dearly wished she could. She truly wished she could do it, so Shigure wouldn't be mad toward her all the time and rest of Zodiac could have lived happy life. All she could do now was apologize and keep her personal promise to be a better person.

Shaking her head she faced the dark-haired man while muttering. "I know, _I know_."

Sighing, Shigure walked up to Akito who this time didn't move away.

"Why you still escape me then? Why? Because I can't be as gentle as that fool? Akito, we both know you don't need kindness," Shigure started as Akito shook her head once again before whispering: "No, Shigure. I need it, but you just tease me."

Eyes growing colder, Shigure stared down to Akito who was now looking down to the floor. Much to her shock she realized tears had came into her eyes, making her sniff slightly before first sob escaped from her throat.

"How much I've to suffer, before I've paid my debt being evil? How much?!" She finally screamed aloud as the first tear dropped down to the floor, making her feel just vulnerable and weak. The sobs shook her very being as Shigure pulled her into a hug, whispering into her ear. "Shh…Akito…You've already paid it…more than it was necessary…"

"The-then why-?" she questioned in a confused voice as Shigure squeezed her tighter, making Akito gasp, before whimper escaped from her throat. Arms tightly against her sides, she felt trapped as Shigure kept hugging her tighter and tighter, it not feeling comforting anymore as it had at first.

"Why, what?" The dark-haired man asked in a silky voice as Akito's breath became disjoined.

"Shi-Shigure…I-I can't breathe…" she managed to croak as Shigure loosened his grip on her a bit to look into her eyes which were puffy from crying. He gently stroked her cheek, almost lovingly, when suddenly his fingernails sliced her cheek. Akito's eyes grew larger as she breathed out, "Why are you still evil to me?"

Shigure looked at Akito in a cool calculating manner, before he leaned closer to Akito's face as he answered to her, "I never said I was a nice man, did I?"

Shaking her head, Akito tried push Shigure away, but couldn't. The other one watched Akito's weak tries before he leaned closer the female, giving her a kiss.

"Shi-Shigure!" Akito stuttered, surprised, her eyes big from fear and shock. "Shigure!"

The man moved along Akito's smooth neckline, stopping at the collarbone before he proceeded to bite it. The small woman let out a cry of pain as the man bit her enough hard to draw blood from her.

"Shigure! Stop it!" Akito cried out as Shigure licked and sucked the bite, making Akito tremble. She felt like she was frozen upon that spot, unable to move while her thoughts were moving furiously inside of her head. Part of her accepted the way how Shigure treated her –after all, she had been so long evil to everyone else, she deserved some kind of punishment. But the other half of her was begging mercy and wanted just to flee away. Akito knew the way how Shigure claimed to love her was as twisted as she had been, but as the years had gone she didn't want it anymore. She wanted to be loved, without feeling like she had to apologize every day for everything she had done, and feel like she deserved each punishment, mockery and slash that would come from Shigure if she wouldn't act meekly and apologetic. She loved him, but the dark side which Shigure had…it scared her. It had always scared her, yet fascinated her. But as she had been more with him and stopped being evil herself, she had soon noticed she couldn't control his dark side anymore, if she ever could had. At times like these, when her old scars were ripped open again, she noticed that she was getting used and even physically violated more and more often.

"Shi-Shigure…" Akito whimpered as Shigure was going lower and lower making Akito feel more and more uncomfortable. Tears were still rolling down from her eyes as she looked at Shigure. She didn't want this. She didn't want Shigure to love her like this. She didn't want to feel dirty and awful anymore. She wanted…she wanted…

"Stop it Shigure! PLEASE!" she screamed aloud, feeling how her vision was getting clouded, when all of a sudden she felt how Shigure's body was pull away from hers and she was met by another set of arms that felt gentle and comforting. Like real mother's arms would feel when she would comfort her child. Just like if the child had just seen a frightening nightmare and needed now someone to calm her down and tell her everything would be just fine.

"Don't come any near Aa-chan anymore," Hanajima Saki's voice suddenly cut through the air. Akito was surprised; the younger girl who looked all emotionless towards Shigure, but Akito could still see in her eyes certain anger. The man looked furiously at Saki who kept staring him down, not backing down at all. For a while they kept staring each other unmoving, while Akito could only look between them quietly, wondering who would be first one to move. It turned out it was Shigure, who turned his face to the side while muttering underneath his breath. "When you miss me again, Akito, you know where I am." And with those words he left the two females alone.

Akito looked after the man who she had once loved. She had loved him from bottom of her heart, but those feelings had died out as the other one had become possessive and unforgiving against her.

She felt how Saki gently stroke her hair as small cry escaped from between her lips.

"Aa-chan…it's okay to cry…" Saki whispered reassuring tone as Akito looked at her tearfully, before she started desperately crying, burying her face into her warm embrace. She cried for a while against the younger girl, before she pulled away, looking her sadly.

"I should…I should probably go…and…" Akito started in shaking voice. She knew Shigure would still be mad and probably force her at the bedroom to do-…

"No, Aa-chan. You come with me," Saki's voice interrupted Akito's thoughts which startled the other one. Saki's gaze was hard at first, but melted into a softer gaze, when she saw how terrified Akito was.

"Aa-chan, whatever happened in the past, the mistakes, you don't owe anything. You aren't debt with Shigure-san." she spoke in a hushed tone as Akito's eyes grew larger. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came as she looked ashamedly down. She felt how Saki touch her shoulder gently, before whispering, "Aa-chan…will you come with me?"

The dark-haired woman looked the younger girl and then shyly nodded her head.

 **:: :: ::**

The dark-haired woman looked around them as she observed the room where she would stay, at least for a while. As Akito had accepted Saki's offer to leave she had soon noticed she had gotten dragged to Sohma Kazuma's dojo, where Saki had already lived for quite a while. The younger one looked quietly at Akito who nodded her head, before she turned, ready to leave Akito alone. But to her surprise she felt how a hand touched her shoulder.

Beautiful, grey eyes looked beggingly at Saki's eyes for a while before Akito opened her mouth just to close it. She quietly let go of her, before taking a step away. Saki blinked, before she quietly sat down on Akito's bed. She watched the older woman started unpack her belongings which she got before they had left. Surprisingly, it wasn't that much what Akito didn't have very much and it didn't take too long to find new homes for her things. After that she walked next to Saki and sat down on the bed too. The silence seemed to stay between them, but neither one found it unpleasant while they stared at the doorway.

Finally, the silence was broken by light footsteps that were accompanied by an elderly man. The man looked surprised at the two females who sat side by side. Akito's eyes were casted down while she was hugging herself quietly, while Saki looked at the doorway. Her dark stare seemed again emotionless, but the man at the doorway could sense her concern and worry.

Quietly, he walked in front of Akito before he warmly said, "You can stay here as long as you want, Akito-san."

Shock and surprise could be easily read from Akito's face as she lifted her eyes to look at Kazuma. Tears formed in her eyes as she buried her face into her hands as she cried: "Why…? Why are you so nice to me?"

"Aa-chan…" Saki said with a voice which was full of concern. She gently touched Akito's shoulder while she looked at Kazuma. The man looked worriedly at the crying one before he answered: "You helped me with Kyo."

"But-…!" Akin wavered with high pitched voice, looking guiltily and shocked Kazuma, but her words soon got stuck into her throat as Kazuma just smiled his gentle smile to her. His look was honest and caring as he gazed down the young woman who turned her gaze down to the floor in shame. A quiet sigh escaped from Saki's lips as she pulled Akito into her arms while saying to Kazuma, "I'll cook a little bit later today."

"That's fine," Kazuma replied softly, before he nodded his head and left the two females together.

Quietly, Akito hugged Saki tighter before her hold started relaxed a bit. The older woman was finally starting to calm a bit as she listened to Saki's heart's beat which was somewhat slow yet peaceful. She felt like an inner peace was finally filling her and the thought that she wouldn't get punishment tonight because she had been so selfish was starting to disappear. But as these peaceful thoughts started fill Akito's mind also new fear started lurk inside her mind. She knew Shigure wouldn't that easily let go of her. Not after such a long time.

"Aa-chan…" Saki's voice suddenly cut through again Akito's thoughts again. She lifted her head, only to see a thoughtful expression on Saki's face. She gazed Akito for a moment before she said, "Don't worry."

Letting out a sad smile, Akito shook her head. She knew she couldn't help but worry. She knew she deserved all the pain which Shigure had caused her past these few years. She knew she didn't-

"Aa-chan, don't worry," The younger girl's soothing voice entered her thoughts again, looking firmly into her eyes before letting her go. Surprised, Akito blinked few times before she saw how Saki stand up. She looked surprised how when the other one offered her hand to her. Shyly, Akito grabbed it and stood up as well before she was lead into the kitchen and then guided to sit down a chair. In there she watched how the young girl get now a plaster and place it gently on her cheek where was still the cuts from Shigure's earlier actions. The woman winced little bit, but not too much. After that, Saki looked at Akito for a moment, before saying, "The collarbone…"

Akito's pale skin turned even paler as she looked frightened at Saki, shaking her head little bit as she clutched her neckline. She had feared the other one would have seen the bite mark and would even mention it, and now it had happened. Akito felt ashamed and terrible as she stared at the floor in shock when Saki abruptly touched her calmly, handing her a wet towel. The look in her eyes was calm and not judging at all. Akito accepted the towel wordlessly, pressing it against the bite and cleaning it up. While this, Saki had taken upon herself to cook up which made the only noise inside the small kitchen. Fascinated, Akito looked on as Saki prepared the food and how elegantly she seemed to do every task. She could only wish to make food like that or any at all. Her cooking skills were almost as bad as Yuki's and that was more and less terrible.

By the time when the food was ready, Akito noticed the clock had already moved into late afternoon. The evening had crept on outside and it seemed all birds had already gone to sleep as Akito looked outside the window. She gazed outside for a moment, before she turned her attention back to Saki who was now one by one carrying all cutlery to the dining room. Quietly, she placed the now already dry towel next to the table, feeling how the biting mark wasn't hurting anymore.

"I…" Akito started which made Saki stop. The black beauty looked quietly to the older woman who flushed slightly, before she finally finished on. "I'll help."

And with that Akito took a bit of cutlery and carried those into the dining room to Saki's slight surprise. She nodded her head thankfully to the other one as they worked together in silence. They continued their working for a while, before the table had been fully set. After that Saki turned to Akito, seeing a new glint in the older woman's eyes. Briefly nodding, Saki turned on her way to call Kazuma to eat, yet her steps halted as she felt a hand touching her. Turning around, she saw how Akito looked at her shyly before hugging her.

"Thank you…Saki," the older woman breathed out her thanks, making the other one smile just a little bit. The words had been extremely simple yet those spoke volumes as Saki could sense how peace was finally setting inside of Akito. With time, Akito would heal just fine. Not just physically, but also emotionally, which would lead into her own happiness. And Saki would make sure it would happen, as she would be there for Akito as long as she would need it, which Akito could sense as she took Saki's hand to hers.

"Let's go call Kazuma to eat."


End file.
